


Blood of Atlantis

by Skyscape7913



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 18:03:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11606004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyscape7913/pseuds/Skyscape7913
Summary: PrologueDeep under the ocean surface, a long forgotten race dwells, most of that race have even forgotten what the surface looks like. Some have never witnessed it.  Eons ago, humanity lived in fear of these perfect predators, such righteous fear that, even to this day, they are still viewed with apprehension, in media and stories, the legend kept alive by instinct alone. They once ruled the earth as gods, feared and worshipped for their beauty, strength, magic, and wisdom.  One day a small band of humans began to reject them, calling them devils instead of gods. When the humans began to fight back and kill the predators, they fled to the depths of the ocean, where danger still lurked, but less danger than the surface began to exhibit. Giant squid and sharks did not possess the same cunning as humans.They are the Vampire, and they live on





	1. Chapter 1

Deep under the ocean surface, a long forgotten race dwells, most of that race have even forgotten what the surface looks like. Some have never witnessed it. Eons ago, humanity lived in fear of these perfect predators, such righteous fear that, even to this day, they are still viewed with apprehension, in media and stories, the legend kept alive by instinct alone. They once ruled the earth as gods, feared and worshipped for their beauty, strength, magic, and wisdom. One day a small band of humans began to reject them, calling them devils instead of gods. When the humans began to fight back and kill the predators, they fled to the depths of the ocean, where danger still lurked, but less danger than the surface began to exhibit. Giant squid and sharks did not possess the same cunning as humans. They are the Vampire, and they live on. I remember. I remember what few are brave enough to recall. I remember the surface, the feasting, the power, the pure bliss of sunlight upon my skin. I remember that we were gods, and I remember when we were worshiped and feared. I also recall the sting of flame, the sudden betrayal, the pain of watching my kin be beheaded and being powerless, burning, and unable to do a thing about it. I remember the decade we fell. When the children of the sun became the children of the night, and when night could not save us, we fled into the sea. But things are changing, the waters may no longer be safe. A youngling, only a hundred years old, ventured beyond the trench. What he saw may change our way of life.  
The humans have begun to explore the sea, and we may no longer be able to remain hidden. I fear for my clan. We have so little pride left, and the fear that humans will take our city may be too much. As Elder, I am left with a grave choice. Tell my people, and try to keep the peace, or try to hide the truth until we are discovered. We have changed so much, adapted. Have humans done the same? The youngling talked of a metal boat with arms that sunk deep below where any human could possibly go. The pressure would kill mere mortals. It seemed to be searching for something, and he thinks he saw a flash of a face in one of the clear windows. Left alone, have the humans surpassed even us? I am afraid. I can not tell if the humans saw the youngling, but I dearly hope not. Will they kill us all? Will they even know us for what we are? We look so different from what we once did. We bear children now, when once we could only infect. We are pale, and sunlight would burn like flame after so long without it. We are slender and strong, with large lungs and large eyes. We have adapted, and our magic has saved us. Our beauty remains, but it is strange. Hundreds of years ago a few of us lived close to the surface, a few who remembered the taste of human. They used their large lungs to sing beautiful songs and lure sailors to their death. It was a time of pride for my kind until one of us was captured. They kept her in a glass box and made her sing. They fed her fish, but the meager amounts of blood were not enough to sustain her. She nearly died of starvation, but a kindly human stole her away and released her. In return for his help, she gave him a treasure that had fallen far below the surface. When she returned, I and the council forbade the middle ocean dwellers from living above again. It was too dangerous and we were too few. Since then we have heard nothing from humanity. The Council has noticed the ocean becoming warmer, things below dying, strange malleable glass bottles falling to the floor. We have said nothing. Our people must focus on hunting, and gathering, and procreating. We can not worry about the affairs of man. At least, that's what The Council agreed upon until the youngling told us what he saw. Now we may have no choice. I fear for my people. I do not know what humans are now capable of. I may have no choice but to send a group to the surface. We must know our enemy if that is what they still are. “Grand Elder, We must speak to you right away. This looming threat must be addressed. What is the name of the youngling who brought you this information? We must know everything,” The Council member, Eunade, said with an urgent and hushed tone. “His name is Cealinus, and we must retrieve him before we can assemble the council. I trust he has been told not to breathe a word to anyone? “ I inquire. “Yes, Grand Elder, I will retrieve him immediately” Council Member Eunade bows and swims away. I make my way to the Grand Cave, trying to be discreet. The people must not know until we address the threat. Mass panic helps no one. As I swim past the market I see the mollusks and the live fish being held in bubble cages. Some of the females of my kind have developed luminescent markings to attract fish. They are the most excellent hunters and surely will have the best mates during the next Choosing. The one I pass now gives me a coy grin, and I can see that she will easily have several mates. Spots around her eyes and cheekbones light up her complexion, and beneath the garb she wears you can see a glow along her sides. We have adapted so beautifully to our home. And now we face a terrible threat. Where else will we go? 

As I enter the Grand Cavern the silence is deafening. Moments ago, approaching the cavern, I heard murmurs, the difference is unnerving. As Grand Elder, it is my sole responsibility and duty to make the decisions when the council can not agree. It is a heavy burden, but one I am proud of, as I have led my people to a prosperous age during the last two thousand years. Now this threat looms, and I feel the true weight. It feels like the ocean when we first arrived, and I can hardly breathe. Cealinus swims forward and addresses me, “ Grand Elder Arqey, What does this mean for all of us? May we return to the surface or will we flee? If we flee where will we flee? What shall we do?” He asks. It is almost palpable as The Council silently asks the same question, waiting with bated breath for the answer. “ Cealinus, did they see you? Did they attack? Did they pursue? We may be safe for the time being, there is no need to panic. We must not incite panic. The Choosing is in one weeks time, we can not upset this sacred time,” I say, tension weighing on my chest. I too am awaiting an answer, and I hope it is a satisfactory one. “I… I think I saw a face in the boat eye. I think it saw me. The light flashed to where I had been swimming mere moments ago, but it did not pursue. It may have been nothing, My Elder,” Cealinus said, looking down. I did not want to believe, so I said “ Thank you, Youngling. Tell no one and you may go. You know the penalty for taking information out without the approval of this council and myself. We shall keep it a secret for now, as I see no real threat. Carry on, and I wish you well at the Choosing” The council looked troubled, some with worry in their face, some with relief, and many with doubt. “ Do any of you wish to change my judgment? Remember this is a Council, not a kingdom.” I said, while hoping that none are disturbed enough to challenge me. There was hesitation, but then a unanimous No. I hope I made the right choice. “Now, don’t you have a Choosing to organize? It's been 25 years, and we must strengthen our people through unity,”I say , hoping to distract them from the decision that has us lie to all of our people. We do have a ceremony to organize.


	2. Chapter 2

“Jason, did you see that??!” I nearly scream into my crewmates ear. “I swear on Cousteau’s grave I saw a mermaid!”  
He indulges me and lazily sends the beam of the submersible in the direction I was talking about. We saw a quick flash of white and it was gone. 

“Miranda, I swear you see mermaids everywhere. For a Scientist, your mind is filled with fantasy. What did this so called ‘mermaid’ look like?” He said in a near monotonous tone. 

He may be a wonderful pilot but he has the personality of a sunfish. 

I huff a bit and begin describing what I saw. “ I only saw a quick look but it had large eyes and it looked male. It had ridiculously long hair tied into some sort of rope. All I really saw was its head, and I swear, for a moment it looked straight at me!”

I haven’t been this excited since they gave me a mission to look at the sea life in the Marianas trench, which was only a week ago, but still! I knew no one would believe me, but thankfully it headed in the direction of the area we are supposed to explore next week. Then I could get the proof I needed. Could you imagine? I would have made the discovery of a century! Now all I need is patience. Unfortunately, I don’t have an abundance of that, but since this is a three-week mission. I don’t have many other places to go. I mean, yes, we breach the surface and go on our boat to resupply every two days, but we can’t leave the trench. 

Supposedly there are new species of crab down here that have a blood parasite that has adapted in such a way that, If its blood is inserted into a human with cancer, it eats at cancer. It completely cures cancer patients in a matter of weeks. At least that’s what the research predicts. We were sent down here to collect samples. This could be revolutionary, as the radiation has seeped so much into our water supply that in third world areas, the leading cause of death is some form of cancer. 

The human population is fading fast and we are searching everywhere to prevent extinction. As a marine biologist, I never believed that What I did would make a significant difference for humanity. I mean, yes, I always hoped. And being one of the youngest Marine Biologists I did not get as much respect for my work as the older, more experienced doctors in my field. It surprised everyone when the board of directors picked me for this mission. I mean, yes, I was exceptional, but in a room of equally, if not more exceptional people, the fact that they picked me was surprising, to say the least. 

I remember how I sat in doubt for a moment after they called my name to be assigned to the field, actually out collecting. I’ve been under the sea in a submersible before, but never the Marianas trench, a veritable goldmine of discoveries. In all of our time on earth, we explored more our solar system than our own ocean, hoping that somehow space would save us from ourselves. When we realized that would not work, in the year 2040 we began to turn our eyes towards our oceans. Now, it's 2042, and we may not only be on the verge of reversing an epidemic, I may have made the discovery that we are not the only intelligent life in our solar system. 

Where there is one, there may be more. Perhaps even a whole city beneath the waves, secluded for so long in the trench? I may have discovered a real life Atlantis! I go back into the cabin and go to watch my favorite mockumentary, Mermaids: The Body Found. That mermaid looked nothing like those predictions. When I was little that Mockumentary started me on my course to become a Marine biologist. Nw here, at 25 years old, I am nearly living the dream of my 7-year-old self. 

Mermaids! Who would have guessed! I go to sleep, leaving Jason to guide the ship toward the ocean floor. In three hours time, we will have to put on our pressure suits and explore to find these miracle crabs. Better get some sleep while I can. 

Three hours later I awoke to Jason shaking me and holding a pressure suit up to my face. That nap was the quickest nap I’ve ever had. We donned our suits, which looked a bit like hexagonal scaled wetsuits. The helmet was reminiscent of a motorbike helmet, except it sealed shut and had an oxygen tank hooked up to the back and the visor was clear and complete. My suit was a sleek blue-gray color, while Jason had a red and gold one. I adjusted the apparatus and we went into the airlock. Once sealed in and hooked with remote access to the sub and the magnetic anchor of our suits was in tune with the submersible so it could pull us back in case of an emergency, we released the valve.   
I could never get over that cool feeling when half the weight of the world washed over you.

It was like lying on your back in a cool bath. At least, the modern suits felt like that. No diver even twenty years ago would have been able to go this deep in suits alone. Even now, these were prototypes. This felt different than last time I dove. Heavier. The gentle coolness nearly bridged on chill. I guess the Marianas trench really is special. 

As we floated down the next ‘30 yards I radioed Jason “So what do these Cancer crabs look like?”

“You will soon find out. “ He laughed a little evily, which was strange since ever since I'd known the man humor wasn't exactly his forte. Uneasy, I kept my chatter down and mentally prepared for something terrifying. 

“Are they giant or something? Or predatory? “ I ask, a little worried. We are only five yards from the ocean floor. 

“Yeah, something like that,” He chuckles

I’m not mentally prepared for this but the second my feet hit the ground I go into researcher mode. You would not believe the kind of creatures that thrive at these depths. It’s very dark so we have our high beams on. As we head to the location where the crabs are said to be, I think I see a flash of white swim past my peripheral vision. A tiny part of my brain screams mermaid, and the other part screams danger. I’m not sure how far apart they are from each other on the scale. 

“Hey, Jason, watch out, I think I saw something” I murmur into the microphone

“ lemme guess, another one of your mermaids? I’m not falling for that again. “ he says

Suddenly he disappears from my line of sight.

“Jason?!” I scream into the mic. 

There is a moment of radio silence and then, “calm down, you nearly busted my ear drums. There was just a sudden dip. The crabs are down here. Come on, we have work to do,"

I slide down carefully and then I smack Jason. “Are you serious? You were freaking me out about the crabs this entire time and they look like this?!” I gesture to the ridiculously cute crustaceans who almost seem to be in a race to crawl all over Jason and myself. 

“Eh, no need for violence!! It was just a joke!” He tries to defend himself. 

“Funny sense of humor. “ I mutter

The crabs are about the size of my palm and a seashell pink. They have large blue eyes and small rose tinted pinschers. They are ridiculously adorable for a deep sea dwelling animal, most of which have a face, and everything else, that only a mother could love. In fact, it might even take a blind mother for some of them. We take our pressurized canisters and collect about a dozen each. I almost feel guilty taking them because I know most will die in the research, but then I remember that it’s to save the human race, and my guilt slides to the back of my mind again. 

As soon as we finish collecting we go back to the submersible and I have a choice to make. Tell my superiors about the mermaid now or wait until I have proof. I think I will sleep on it.


	3. Chapter 3

I, as the Grand Elder, have certain abilities. I may send a team to search the trench to see if the humans have left. I may do this without the knowledge or approval of the council. That is exactly what I have done. Ive assembled a pod of hunters, the finest we have. The young one from the market was the first to arrive. 

“Hello there, Grand Elder, how are you on this fine evening? I’d say you’d be a sight better if you decided to pair with me at The Choosing Ceremony,”

“Being as young as you are, I’m sure you had no idea that I may not take a mate during my time as Grand Elder,” I say with more than a hint of sarcasm. 

“Goodness, Grand Elder Arqey, you’d think I’d asked you to procreate with a giant squid,” She said. 

“And what is your name? I know you can’t be much older than four hundred. Still a child, to me.” I sigh out.

While she is beautiful, she has yet to gain her wisdom. She is bold, and will perhaps be a fine leader on this expedition. 

“ My name is Lyrana, My Elder, and may I ask what we will be doing on this expedition through the trench?” She says as she gestures towards the rest of the group that I had hardly noticed had arrived. 

There were two males and a female waiting behind Lyrana, all of which were peak specimens of how we have evolved to suit the Trench. The other female had long white hair in the traditional style we have developed, tied off in sections of a rope and piled on her head, secured with fish bones and decorated with small shells. She had a lovely smattering of luminescent spots across her chest, shoulders, and arms that glowed a soft pinkish red. She was wearing a simple white two piece of woven algae and carrying a spear. Her large pink eyes, high cheekbones, and full wide mouth made her out to be one of the more beautiful of our clan. She was one of white birth, who we have had an increasing number of lately. She looked to be maybe 150 years old. 

“What is your name, White one?” I ask, coming forward in the water towards the group. 

“Grand Elder, I am known as Lunari. I am here to serve, in hopes of receiving a higher rank during the Choosing,” She said demurely, bowing her head. 

I look her up and down and ask “ Why would you not already have a high rank? You are a peak specimen and you are an esteemed huntress. That should get you at least two mates,”

“ Sire, it is not the amount, it is the quality. I wish for one of the best mates. His name is Riokan and he is a member of The Council. As it is the Choosing of Arwa this year, Council members may take or be taken as a mate. I have waited three Choosings and have taken no mate. I am set on him,” She says with confidence in her eyes. 

I turn and view the two males, who are beautiful as well. One has a short cut of hair that floats around his head like an anemone. It is a soft brown by the light of our luminescent algae lamps. He is well built with a square jaw and thick lips, he has a roman nose. He is holding a spear with two points and wearing an algae loincloth. The other male has waist length ebony hair in our traditional knots and is built like a bull shark. He has a long black beard decorated with knots and shells and is wearing a dark loincloth and a baleen chest plate. He has a scar across his left eye. 

“You two, what are your names? You are both fine specimens and will do well with this expedition. 

“I am Khal,” Said the larger bearded one, puffing out his chest. 

“ I am Evet,” Said the thinner one, raising his head and giving an impish grin. 

I have every confidence that these hunters shall bring back the information I need, be it good or bad.

“Search the trench and 50 yards above. Come back if you see something. You may not tell anyone about this. This is secret,” I say with a note of a threat in my voice. 

The hunters nod in unison and they swim off into the black of the trench. I hope that they find nothing. But I doubt that will be the case. 

I return to my cave and sit down to think about the pressing matters that lie ahead. I don't think we could survive a war with humans. Their technology has far surpassed ours if what Cealinus said was true. We would be wiped out in less than a year. I bury my head in my hands and sink down to my bed. This room has changed little in the last two thousand years. I have a baleen basket full of bones from the surface that I have carved during my free time, which I have little of these days. 

I swim past and pick through the basket. Each bone tells a story. I was to give them to my children but I have borne none. I was too busy taking care of our clan. I am allowed to take a mate, but only in secret, this Choosing but I fear I will not even have time for a secret lover. It has been the tradition of Grand elders to take a secret mate every two thousand years of service. Most Grand Elders step down after a thousand years.

We are chosen because we were the ones who used to live on the surface. I am the second to last vampire who remembers, and the final one has gone mad. She rants and raves in a cave near the surface about how the humans have found our magic, which helps us to evolve quickly and adapt to the environment. She speaks of humans with wings and humans who are destroying the earth. 

I hope the Hunters come back with good news, but I must be prepared to lie to my people at least until after the Choosing. It is hard enough to gather my semi-nomadic people every 25 years as is, and thoughts of war or destruction by humans will not encourage travel to the trench, which is sacred to us. It is the safest place in the ocean and we have the most developed culture. 

We wander across the oceans hunting and taking up semi permanent residence in caves and secluded caverns, Clans rotating and taking up residence in caves used by other clans as we move on is our way of life. The only clan that does not migrate is our clan, Clan Vampir Mora. We stay in the central hub, the safest in all the ocean, the deepest trench. Our stories are told with carved bones and shells and we are even richer beneath the waves than we were above ground. 

So much treasure falls beneath the waves. We have wealth beyond measure now. Our children play with golden baubles and we use the steel and weapons that fall to make us more efficient hunters. We do not think of it as humanity so much as gifts from above. It makes it easier to forget why we have fled to this place. It is beautiful, but it holds many challenges. 

There is a sudden loud noise outside and I swim out to see what is going on. To my horror, people are screaming and fleeing. We are under attack by a giant squid, and I've just sent our best hunters out to scout for humans. It’s tearing apart the market and has one unlucky vampire in it's beak. Red tinges the water and I see a tentacle swiftly heading towards me. I grab my dagger but it’s too late, I’ve been caught. The squid brings me towards it's beak and even my enhanced strength can not help me escape. My vision begins to fade and I hear what sounds like a screech of victory emanate from the squids gnashing beak. Then everything goes black.


	4. Chapter 4

I wake up to the sound of waves sloshing across the sides of the vessel, and I yawn and stretch out, filled with a sense of oblivious contentment. I lay there for a moment and then my memory catches up to me. Mermaids! Crap. Do I tell my superiors or not? What if they are hostile? Maybe I could just talk to Jason, convince him I’d seen something more reasonable but equally worthy of that urgency and discovery? I think I could say a new species of giant squid. It’s entirely plausible. 

“Hey, Jason” I speak up.

“What, Bubbles?” He says as he walks into my quarters with a plate of bagels and a cocked eyebrow. 

I hate that nickname. He isn't even getting the character reference right. 

“ On further evaluation, I’m actually pretty sure that whole mermaid thing was actually a giant squid. However, it didn’t look anything like any species I’ve ever seen. Maybe it is a new species that might share qualities with the crustaceans we found since it lives in the same unexplored environment?” I spout out. 

I hope he mistakes my tone of voice for sleep and not lying. I’ma horrible liar. I fidget with my hair and bring my knees up to my chest as I wait for an answer. 

“If that's true we might as well tell our superiors. Even a possibility is worth checking out. Pffbt, mermaids. Someone must have had a bad case of the ‘Deep sea something that isn't there’ sickness.” He says while straightening out his polo and passing me a bagel covered in what I assume to be cream cheese. 

I hear my stomach growl and am grateful. I go to take a bite and believe me, my mouth is watering. The bagel is soft and warm in my hand and Jason is eating the other bagel like it's trying to escape. As my mouth sinks around the breakfast food, I go through the five stages of what the hell just happened. That isn’t cream cheese. It's mayonnaise. A thick gloop of it with artful peaks that make it appear to be cream cheese. It's more the shock than the taste that registers at first and then the deceptive bagel becomes the flying bagel. As in, chunks of chewed up bagel spew out of my mouth and the shocked and disgusted expression on Jasons face would be funny if he hadn’t just tried to poison me. 

“ What the hell Amanda?! I bring you breakfast and you spit it like you're trying to win a contest?” He asks. His overly innocent tone is the straw on the camels back. 

“ Jason, what is wrong with you?? First, you give me a heart attack in the bottom of the ocean and now you give me a mayo bagel??? Do you have it out for me or something or are you just an asshole? I have been trying this entire excursion to be polite and at least somewhat professional and you seem to have no regard for it nor any respect for me? What is your deal??” I start belting out and waving my hands in the air to clearly indicate just how done I am. 

He sits there with a dumbfounded look and then, without a word, leaves the quarters. 

Of course. Sent on what may be the most exciting opportunity of my life and the person I need to trust with my life has it out for me. Peachy. 

I decided to go out to the deck and do some recreational diving to get my mind off of it. Let's just hope he doesn’t leave me stranded in the middle of the ocean. I’m probably overreacting but so much has happened this past week I don't know If I can handle it all. My life took an abrupt change and I know it's for the better but damn is it an uphill climb.   
I put on my diving gear and purposefully don't’ think about how I shouldn't be doing this alone. But with just Jason for company, I'm not sure which is safer. He could just be an asshole. He's by no means stupid. If he were he wouldn’t be in this field. So I guess he's just a dick. I can handle dicks. Haha. I snicker to myself as my internal monolog takes a turn for the vulgar. I bet if I tried hard I could twist that man up and spit him out for breakfast. But honestly, I’d rather save it for the mermaids. Haha. there's more of a chance with them than with him. I actually think the man sending him off wasn't his brother if you know what I mean. 

I slip into the water and begin to swim down, admiring the serenity of the ocean around me. It’s pretty empty here rather than the shadows of whales down below. I get bored rather quickly and return to the boat, prepared to make my case and set this straight after getting a clear head. I can’t go this mission with all of this happening. If anything unprofessional were to happen it should be FUNprofessional, not dickhead experience three thousand. 

I find Jason sitting in the group quarters with another set of bagels. These ones have strawberries and blueberries on one and bits of smoked salmon and spinach on the other. I catch him before he sees me and he’s got his hand up to his face rubbing at his forehead. Huh. He looks remorseful. 

“Jason, can we talk?” I say as he says “Look, Amanda,”

Awkward silence ensues. 

Jason breaks it with an “I’m sorry, Amanda. I was acting like a sixteen-year-old boy with a crush. I’m just excited to be working with you. You’re one of the youngest to be given a mission of this magnitude, and honestly, everyone assumed you slept your way to the top. If we are going to work together this closely then I need to stop taking rumors to heart. James always says I’m a gossip and I guess he’s right. Really, from now on I’ll stop being childish and start taking what you have to say seriously.”

I literally fall back into the seat in shock and mull over the apology for a minute. I’m sure the wait is near agonizing for Jason, ho really does look remorseful. And red. And a little teary. Yep… Okay. Can’t stay mad at those eyes. 

I tentatively say “Even mermaids?” in a small voice.

“Even mermaids.” he says while I can see him using all of his strength to resist rolling his eyes. 

“ Well then Let’s get diving. Atlantis awaits!!!” I cheerfully say, glad the conflict is resolved. 

He doesn’t resist rolling his eyes this time, but nonetheless, we were supposed to go collect more samples today anyways and it can’t hurt to keep an eye out for other creatures of the deep. 

We left the bagels and put on our diving suits. It was time to find some mermaids.


End file.
